Notebook: Saltalamacchia claims ump got in throw’s way

Credit: AP

LOOK DOWN HERE: Edwin Encarnacion gets out of the way as catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia searches for the ball during the first inning of last night’s game between the Red Sox and Blue Jays in Toronto.

TORONTO — So it wasn’t exactly Larry Barnett ignoring contact between Ed Armbrister and Carlton Fisk in the 1975 World Series, but Jarrod Saltalamacchia would’ve appreciated some help from home plate umpire Clint Fagan last night.

Fagan declined to call umpire’s interference on a third-inning pickoff attempt, and Saltalamacchia’s errant throw, which he says was the result of striking Fagan’s mask, plated two runs that proved pivotal in the Blue Jays’ 9-7 victory.

“My elbow hit the umpire’s mask,” Saltalamacchia said. “I’ve done that in the past, but no one’s ever said anything and I didn’t really make a stink about it because I didn’t know the ruling. But now I know, once it hits the mask, it’s got to be a dead ball. It definitely, definitely hit, but that’s part of the game.”

Section 5.09(b) of the official rulebook clearly states that umpire’s interference occurs when “the plate umpire interferes with the catcher’s throw attempting to prevent a stolen base or retire a runner on a pickoff play; runners may not advance.”

The Sox didn’t really argue the play, which had a chance of nabbing Jose Bautista off first, until after the inning. Manager John Farrell said Fagan told him Saltalamacchia didn’t connect with his mask until his follow-through, and that therefore, the contact didn’t impact the play.

“He had told John that I hit him on the follow-through, which is kind of impossible,” Saltalamacchia said. “I told him that when my arm is going back is when I felt it hit. At that point, I was already getting ready to go forward, so I couldn’t hold up.”

Farrell had no problem with the play, which could’ve stolen an out for starter Jon Lester at a point when he was struggling to find the plate.

“We had a back-door pick right there, and aggressive as Bautista can be off a given base, that’s not an ill-advised play,” Farrell said. “They had a timing play on and unfortunately we didn’t execute.”

Stay on the base

Farrell preaches aggressiveness, but with two outs in the fifth inning, he felt Jacoby Ellsbury took things too far.

Baseball’s stolen base leader was picked off second base for the final out with Mike Napoli at the plate and Jays starter Brandon Morrow fading in a 4-3 game.

“Not a real good heads-up play given the game situation, the fact that it looked like Morrow was starting to fatigue a little bit and with Napoli coming behind him,” Farrell said. “Just trying to be aggressive, and it didn’t work out this time.”

In support of Collins

It’s quite likely a matter of when, not if, a big leaguer comes out as gay.

The day after NBA player Jason Collins announced his homosexuality, Red Sox players asked about the issue seemed unfazed.

“There’s nobody that’s going to judge somebody,” said starter Clay Buchholz. “If it was to happen, you’ve got to live your life. If that’s the way you live, and that’s what you believe in, then who’s anybody to say that you’re not able to do that?”

Veteran pitcher Ryan Dempster said he had not given any thought to how his teammates or clubhouses throughout baseball would react to having an active player declare his homosexuality, but personally, he had no objections.

“People are free to make choices in life however they make them. I don’t judge anybody,” said Dempster. “Whatever they choose to do with their relationships, their preferences in life, it doesn’t make me judge how they are as a human being.”

Victorino on hold

The hope had been that right fielder Shane Victorino would play last night, but he remained sidelined with a sore back.

Farrell suggested that if Victorino can’t return by the end of this series, he may have to be placed on the disabled list.

“He’s showing some improvement,” Farrell said. “He went out and hit in the cage off the tee. He threw. He went through some not only treatment, but other exercises in the gym, and while he’s not available tonight, there is some improvement continuing to be made.”

Strikeout kings

When Lester struck out Emilio Bonifacio to end the second inning, it gave the Sox 250 strikeouts in the month of April, extending their team record for most K’s in a month (231, September 2000), as well as their big league record for April (230, Diamondbacks, 2002). . . . Mike Carp’s homer was his first since last July against Kansas City while with Seattle. He is slugging .958.